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View Full Version : New pair of picasso's how to add them?


Creetin
05/09/2009, 02:37 PM
Got a small pair of grade A picasso's coming in next week.
I am adding them to a 300 gallon and have a evil sixline that hates clowns he killed my last 2 so I added 8 blue devil damsels so they would pester him to death. They are getting to the size where they pimp him and cause him grief. LOL
Anywho he still hates clowns for some reason. The new pair will be 1 and 1.5 inches. I will add them to a critter cage and add a magfloat on it so I can house them there for a week or 2. If I can get them in the nem they would be ok, But percs are brain damaged and they go for the frag rack and take constant attatcks from the sixline. The sixline is a nec evil, But man I would like to send him for a ride in the tilt o whirl in the sink sometimes.
If they were bigger i wouldnt worry, But these guys are going up against an adult sixline with a one track mind.
What would be the best way to get them to the NEM?
Any tips?
Thanks in advance.

fishkid6692
05/09/2009, 02:44 PM
put the nem in the critter keeper with them if possible. wait until they host and then take the nem out and let it attach and then let the clowns out right in front of the nem. i got mine to host like that before.

ILLiDaN
05/09/2009, 08:21 PM
Only problem being is that your really not giving them moving space, what if anemone hides? Also feeding time? Personally I woulnt risk a pair of picassos

CaliReefer12
05/09/2009, 08:42 PM
Maybe take the sixline out using a fishtrap or something

denash24
05/10/2009, 12:55 AM
I'm having similar issue, I got a pair of grade A picasso's to add to my 90G but these guys are tiny. They've been floating on top in a container with plenty of holes for flow but decided to release them today but my normally really mellow chalk bass was looking at them with an evil look on his face and I really think he was planning on having a super expensive dinner so I quickly herded them back into the container. I thought about the same thing, even though I don't have an anemone for them I thought if they would only head into the frogspawn they would be safe but of course they wanted no part of any coral. The other concern was feeding as once they're in the tank you need to make sure they're allowed to eat by the other fish, also concerned about the overflow, so I guess I'm going to have to buy a breeder net and keep them in there for a few months

Creetin
05/10/2009, 06:09 AM
Thanks for the idea's, Yes the overflows are a concerne with me too.
I should add a strainer fitting to the standpipes so of they do get in there they wont go to the sump and get chewed up and become fish food.
Maybe if i can get a used small biocube for them to grow out.
Once they get big enough I think they can handle the sixline.

rkelman
05/10/2009, 05:00 PM
"put the nem in the critter keeper with them if possible"

Lol I'd find out what anemone he has before trying that one.. If its a Haddoni that would be a death sentence for the clowns.

I'd catch the sixline and ditch it or sump it until they are established.

Creetin
05/10/2009, 06:21 PM
If i can it seems he sleeps in a place i can nab him. Maybe find him a new home and get a new one a few mos later.
Its a RBTA nem.
I would like a red carpet nem one day.

fishkid6692
05/10/2009, 07:41 PM
i did it with a mag and snowflakes. haddonis are known to eat fish but i've never heard of a mag or bta eating clowns. what kind of nem do you have? ha i guess i should've asked that first.

fishkid6692
05/10/2009, 07:42 PM
i just read your post and i've never heard of a bta eating clowns. ever.

rrcg50
05/10/2009, 07:48 PM
well i lost 2 ora picassos 1 grade a and 1 grade b also 1 snocasso to a flame bubble tip. watched him sting them and eventually kill em and eat them. could not believe my eyes when i seen the head hanging out og the anemones mouth

fishkid6692
05/10/2009, 07:54 PM
you must have a mutant killer nem.

jmadison
05/10/2009, 08:11 PM
So I too am finally getting my pair of A's from ORA tues. (took forever as they are experiencing reproduciton problems on all their livestock across the board.) I was thinking about putting them in a breeder net for a week or so to gettem acclimated to my lights, flow, and to experience some 'window love' with my sixline and purple firefish. I dont assume the FF will be an issue in the least, but my old sixline pestered my old black occ to death :(. This sixline seems to be a lot more of a model citizen, not to mention much smaller.

ILLiDaN
05/10/2009, 08:51 PM
"took forever as they are experiencing reproduciton problems on all their livestock across the board"
do you happen to know why?

jmadison
05/10/2009, 10:51 PM
I was told it was related to the drought in FL. Although they are obviously captive raised things like barometric pressure, relative humidity, etc. are still uncontrollable variables. I beleive most of their coral are grown in covered but open air runs. I think their fish are hatched in enclosed facilities but baro pressure still can affect those. I think this because even up here in the winter fish spawning in captivity show declines in production for example.
I will note that ORA just said they were having reproduction problems across the board so I don't know what exactly is affected, but I do know they said I should have my Pic's by end of Feb early March and well its mid may. Also they have started to limit the number of some corals that before were not limited and were in high supply, so that implies some coral growth issues. I was also told that a coral that they havent made avaliable in 5 years will again be coming up for avaliability though! :D

Creetin
05/11/2009, 12:55 PM
Well i decided to house them in my 7 gal minibow till they growout. The 300 is too dangerous for them at that size.
I would hate to have them chewed up by a pump or killed.
Maybe upgrade to a 20gal nano in the future like an m class.

Creetin
05/12/2009, 08:58 AM
Well set up the minibow last night and seeded the filter with bak and good stuff.
Just got done acclimating them. Heres a quick pic. They are small the female is around a inch maybe a titch bigger and the male is 5/8 ths to 3/4 of an inch.
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q128/realcreetin/P1020370.jpg

jmadison
05/12/2009, 11:48 AM
Not to hijack, but mine are acclimating.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b392/jmadison03/IMG_1518.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b392/jmadison03/IMG_1520.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b392/jmadison03/IMG_1523.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b392/jmadison03/IMG_1524.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b392/jmadison03/IMG_1525.jpg

Creetin
05/12/2009, 03:18 PM
Not a problem, Very nice fish there.

Creetin
05/12/2009, 09:08 PM
What do you guys feed your fish. Still early and mine didnt take to mysis, But that might change tomorrow.
The breeder came highly regarded from a friend, But yet has to answer my email.

jmadison
05/12/2009, 09:43 PM
Creetin- Nice little swimmers yourself!
Are they quite active in their personal bow front or stick to a corner?

I'm feeding mine Ocean Nutrition Formula 1 Flakes(they picked at), gonna try Hikari Marine S pellets(which is what ORA feeds in addition to ORAGLO), and of course theres always cyclops!

Creetin
05/13/2009, 04:32 AM
Thanks, They did start swimming all over off the bat but now stay in a corner at the bottom of the tank. I tried mysis and some cyclopeeze both they didnt like it.
I have flake food i'll try today. Still no answer from the breeder.
Love the fish and quick shipping though.

Jmadison,,Are you adding a NEM for yours? I can get ahold of a blue carpet like nem for cheap. (I want a red, but ouch!)I have to do some research on it but i believe its a gigantea to make sure.

jmadison
05/13/2009, 09:56 AM
I have a RBTA that just recently split into 3 bout 2 weeks ago. So we'll see if that happens(hosting).

jmadison
05/13/2009, 03:28 PM
Hosted my RBTA instantly!

Creetin
05/13/2009, 04:29 PM
Cool, I dunno if i should put mine in as i used the tank a year ago to treat a lineatus with copper, The tank has been scrubbed down, But i dont trust it. Maybe a test coral and a hermit?

jmadison
05/13/2009, 05:43 PM
Sucks that copper tests are so expensive...
Ummm have you done many waterchanges through that tank since then? or soaked in vinigar water or just several RO water soaks?

Creetin
05/13/2009, 06:25 PM
I did let it soak in RO and water conditioner, and washed it out a few times in tap water.
I have copper tests, But they wont read that low.
Maybe a polypad??
Thanks

jmadison
05/13/2009, 06:31 PM
Polypad is a decent idae, but do they remove copper?

Creetin
05/14/2009, 05:28 AM
Yes and will turn blue if copper is in the water.

Creetin
05/14/2009, 10:17 AM
They are eating flake foods today pretty good.
Need to find that grow food.

Creetin
05/16/2009, 05:21 AM
Female died yesterday for no apparent reason. The water in the qt tank was good. I change 1/3rd of it at a time daily.
Oh well,, bummer. I tossed the male in the 300 and see how he copes. He was still doing good last night. I tried directing him to the nem, But he would not have it. I think clowns have to be the the lowest intelligence fish in the ocean.
Sink or swim I guess. I thought these fish were supposed to be tough as nails? Look pretty fragile to me.

jmadison
05/16/2009, 09:58 AM
Oh man, Im so sorry to read that! :(

I hope that your male continues to do well, and continues to eat the flake as well as adapts to other forms of food.

Creetin
05/16/2009, 11:44 AM
I do too.
He's alive today and found a little spot he likes to hang out in.
The flow is tough for him if he swims too high up he gets draged around the tank because i have a gyre flow system.
Wished donni grew them out a bit more. I would have went with ORA for that reason alone atleast they are 2 times the size when ya get them from ORA.
I will never order fish from donni again they NEVER return emails!!

jmadison
05/16/2009, 12:21 PM
I was worried about the size of mine b4 i got them from ORA, but was pleasently surprised. They do fine in my little tank with my vortech.

Creetin
05/16/2009, 07:31 PM
He's doing alright eating and no one is picking on him. The tangs seem like whales to him. LOL
Dont get me wron donni's fish are great, But if you dont mind getting them that small then go for it. I have 3-4 emails and none returned this week. I was a titch upset i knoe this is a part time gig for them, Maybe they were busy.

Creetin
05/17/2009, 07:18 AM
Donni did get ahold of me after someone made her aware of this thanks.
Dunno but the emails were getting lost or something.
Nothing wrong with donni's fish!!! I am in the wrong i should have looked deeper into sizes and such before i oredered.
I was very happy with the fish i recieved.

The male is alive still in the 300, and doing good. He was eating flakefoods yesterday.
He is tiny in the tank, I wish he would find the nem, But i think as long as i want him to he will not.
I dunno if i want to try another pair, But i have been waiting forever since i traded my last snowflake off for some magic beans.
;)

jmadison
05/26/2009, 10:25 AM
Well Creetin, sadly after 1.5 weeks of not eating, my female too died! The other one eats like a champ, but she was always so timid about it. The 6line always just picking on here during feeding time, so even after the 6lines removely she was kinda always llooking over her shoulder waiting for the 6line to forbid her to eat. Well I'm back on the list for a replacement. I think this will be my last experience with a 6line though!

Creetin
05/26/2009, 10:35 AM
Sorry to hear!! I did pick up a great FULL sized pair of onyx clowns that are doing great in the 300. I am setting up a nanotank upstairs and will get another pair of picasso's after its done cycling.
Oddly my sixline didnt bother the new clowns. Prolly cause they are close to full size.
Again sorry to hear, Keep your hopes up for a new one, Maybe pick up a large onyx for him to play with.

jmadison
05/26/2009, 11:23 AM
Did you leave your pic' male in the 300 too?